Author Archive for Jeff White
Jeff White is the founder of www.TheStockBandit.com, a nightly newsletter for active traders. He has been trading his own account for over a decade and currently trades full time in Texas.
Can You Trade Full-Time? Part 4
October 7, 2011 at 9:46 am
Be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2 , and Part 3 of this series if you haven’t already, as they offer some important groundwork for this series.
This is the final portion of the 4-part series on “Can You Trade Full-Time.” It’s one of the most common questions part-time traders ask me, so I wanted to give you a list of considerations as a resource in case you’re wondering if you’re equipped with what it takes to make it.
Keep in mind that the things I’m sharing here are my opinions of things I think are needed in order to trade full-time, but your unique situation may differ, so modify accordingly.
Here in Part 4, we’ll look at risk, your needs, and your trading plan.
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
Can You Trade Full-Time? Part 3
October 6, 2011 at 8:07 am
Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this series if you haven’t already, as they offer some important groundwork for this series.
We’ve arrived at Part 3 in the 4-part series on “Can You Trade Full-Time.” This is a subject I’m asked about all the time, so I thought you’d find it helpful to compile this list of considerations as a resource to you as you wonder whether you’re equipped with what it takes to make it.
Keep in mind that the things I’m sharing here are my opinions of things I think are needed in order to trade full-time, but your unique situation may differ.
Here in Part 3, we’ll discuss how to avoid the mistakes that trading professionals avoid.
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
Contrarian View
October 5, 2011 at 8:03 am
Just for fun, let’s look at both sides of this market, pretending there are actual bulls out there. (All kidding aside, there are, even if they’ve been M.I.A. of late).
This market has been plenty heavy of late. The big moves I’ve caught recently have all been on the short side, and bearish consolidations abound in the charts. Simultaneously, bullish setups are few and far between, to say the very least.
But let’s look at the bullish case right now. If I’m leaving anything out, please share it in the comments, but here are a few things to consider regarding those who are counting on a lasting turnaround:
– Nowhere else to put cash right now. This is true, and a biggie. With the bond bubble keeping money managers quite leery, and precious metals already correcting sharply from their recent highs (have you seen gold?), the so-called “safe havens” haven’t been immune to the selling either. Equities are still seen as the place to be going forward.
– Multiples are contracting, value players getting more interested. The biggest difference between a technician and the fundamentalist is how momentum is viewed. Fundies look at low prices as entry opportunities, whereas technicians look at them as downtrends which may continue. These days, the value players are seeing better numbers, which may get more of them involved.
– EVERYONE seems to be sitting on considerable cash piles right now. If this market catches a bid, that cash is tremendous potential fuel for a lasting rally. As prevalent as fear has been on the way down, it will also be relevant on the way back up — who wants to miss the big rally? Nobody who runs money, I can assure you. Underperformance is worse than losing money (sadly) in the world of portfolio managers, so you can fully expect cash to come off the sidelines quickly when signs of stability finally emerge.
The bear is still alive and well, with fresh 52-week lows being made Tuesday in every index. Nonetheless, it’s always wise to look at the other side of the trade. It’s responsible, and it either lets you keep defending your stance or it presents reasons to shift (which the best traders are always willing to do).
Keep an open mind, nothing is ever out of the question in this market.
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
Can You Trade Full-Time? Part 2
October 3, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Be sure to check out Part 1 of this series if you haven’t already, as it offers some important groundwork for this series.
Here’s part 2 in the 4-part series on “Can You Trade Full-Time.” I’m asked this regularly and wanted to compile a list of considerations as a resource to you as you wonder whether you’re equipped with what it takes to make it.
Keep in mind that the things I’m sharing here are my opinions of things I think are needed in order to trade full-time, but your unique situation may differ.
Here in Part 2, we’ll look at the question of “Do I have enough to trade with to make a full-time income?”
We’ll also take a closer look at what you’ll need to be starting with in terms of both capital and trading tools.
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
Video Review of the Indexes 10-2-2011
October 2, 2011 at 1:03 pm
September marked the 5th straight monthly decline for the S&P 500, and yet the indexes remain range-bound for now. A break could be imminent, and with short-term lower highs in place, that’s not an encouraging sign for the bulls.
As we head into a brand new week of trading, let’s examine some important levels to keep an eye on in the days ahead. That will have the greatest influence on how individual stocks are going to move, so it’s where the trading week begins.
Be sure to view in HD and full-screen mode for best quality in the video.
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
Can You Trade Full-Time? Part 1
September 30, 2011 at 7:57 am
One of the most common questions I am asked is whether someone is fit to trade full-time, and if they’re equipped with what it takes to make it. You might be wondering the same thing, and if so, this 4-part video series is for you.
A recent email exchange with a subscriber who had just reached a crossroads with his career path brought about the questions we’ll cover, so I wanted to share this exchange with you over the course of the next few posts.
Keep in mind that the things I’ll be sharing are my opinions of things I think are needed in order to trade full-time, but your unique situation may differ. Think of this series as a list of things to consider as you count the cost when weighing whether or not you’re ready or able to trade full-time.
Here in Part 1, we’ll discuss the question “Do I have what it takes to make it?”
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
Trading Roadblocks
September 29, 2011 at 8:12 am
Few things are as frustrating in trading as seeing a position start to take off, only to stop or reverse. When a trade hits the proverbial wall, it stops moving according to plan and quickly becomes dead money.
Nevermind the fact that you were long in the midst of an uptrend in the stock, and in a generally strong market environment. It’s time to bail out.
What if you had seen it coming?
Looking a little farther to the left on the chart can at times enable you to do just that. Sometimes we just get so fixated on the here-and-now pattern that we fail to recognize what might lie beyond. Overhead resistance looms like a roadblock, but without zooming out on the chart, you may never see it until it’s too late.
Due Diligence
As a short-term trader, I’m all about the recent price action. I care a great deal about how a stock has moved over the past 2-3 weeks, and every day of late. I’m gauging the volume, I’m looking for clean patterns, I’m designating my trading timeframe, and from there I’m able to project where the stock can go next if those patterns are confirmed.
But I don’t stop there.
Once I’ve identified a pattern, and made the corresponding game plan, my work isn’t finished. I still need to look at the bigger picture and take note of anything that might stand in the way of this stock running further. And I’m not referring to news which might break (although that’s particularly important during earnings season). What I’m referring to is potential resistance which the stock may have to contend with shortly after confirming the short-term pattern.
Exhibit A
For example, I recently discovered a bull flag pattern. I can project, based upon the pattern, where the stock could head to next if that pattern gets confirmed. However, a look at the bigger picture showed me a glaring issue with the trade: it didn’t have far to run before the next resistance would be encountered.
That congestion zone from a few months back was a major potential roadblock for the play. Although the short-term pattern could confirm, the stock may still not get through the next resistance zone. So, this is the kind of setup I’d only consider for a day trade rather than a swing trade, because the risk I’d incur for a swing isn’t in proper relation to the limited profit I’d make if resistance holds.
Here’s a look at the stock I’ve been discussing. I’ve erased the company name and ticker symbol, because it doesn’t matter. Rather, this is an example of how I evaluate potential plays.
A month from now, this flag may have confirmed and the stock might blow through prior resistance as if it were never there, but that’s not for me to decide. My job is to evaluate risk, and only put my money at risk when the potential for reward outweighs that risk by a considerable amount.
Taking note of potential roadblocks like this is one way I can ensure my risk/reward on each trade remains suitable. Occasionally I might regret not taking the play, but over the long haul, I’m preserving my capital for far better opportunities.
Trade Like a Bandit!
Jeff White
Producer of The Bandit Broadcast
Follow TheStockBandit on Twitter or get our free newsletter to keep up!
